Timeshares Purchase
The best deals on timeshare purchases are on the secondary market. You
can often pay 25% to 50% less when you buy a timeshare that somebody else
previously owned and wants to sell, compared to buying new. There are
several Timeshare Resales companies that can help you find the best used
timeshare for your needs. By my calculations, the purchase of a new
Hawaii or Maui timeshare directly from the developer is not a good
investment, since the cost is high and a large part of what you pay goes
toward marketing and sales commissions.
Timeshares Trades
Hawaii, especially Maui, is a very popular vacation destination, so it can
be difficult to trade your timeshare elsewhere for one in Hawaii. If
you can get a trade to use a timeshare in Maui, the best places to stay are
Marriott's Maui Ocean Club (on Kaanapali Beach) or
Westin Kaanapali Ocean
Resort Villas. Another good choice, though not as great as those two,
is the Kaanapali Beach Club (formerly an Embassy Suites).
Much less desirable is Kahana Falls, which is a few miles from the main
Kaanapali area and is not on a beach. Also less desirable is
Maui Hill (about half of which is
timeshares)
because it is a long walk uphill from the distant beach.
Timeshares Sales
If you would like to sell your timeshare because you no longer use it every
year or you are tired of the maintenance fees, there are Timeshare Resales
companies to sell it for you. There are a few good on line companies
that are by owner listings. This type of sale allows you to list your
timeshare with minimal cost to you. Typically you pay an add price and then
list your property. Online listing sites generally sell your
timeshare
quicker than say realestate companies or resorts do, but at a reduced price.
Timeshare
resorts also offer resale opportunities but generally require a larger
percentage of the selling price.
Timeshares Rentals
A good option if you would like to stay in a timeshare without buying or
trading for one, is to rent it just like you would rent to stay in a hotel
or condo. Such rentals are sometimes available at all three of the
places mentioned about (under Timeshare Trades).
Timeshares Presentations
In my opinion, it is not worthwhile to attend the timeshare sales
presentations that are offered in Maui or other parts of Hawaii. Even
though they give you free or discounted activities in exchange for your
attendance, the two problems are (1) you are wasting several hours of your
valuable vacation time, and (2) there is a good chance that you will be
talked into buying a new timeshare at the full developer's price which is
not a good deal (as described under Timeshares Purchase above).
